Insomniac
by namaster
Summary: Much to Pepper's regret, Tony is having troubles sleeping: "You are having nightmares, you can't sleep, so you walking around harassing other people's sleep!"


Disclaimer: I wish I owned Ironman.

The story is set in between the Ironman and Ironman 2.

Anthony Stark was never good with schedules. Pepper knew that. All the years around her boss just proved that very statement. That's why his sleeping arrangements as chaotic as they were never actually surprised her. Nevertheless after his comeback from the dead i.e. from Afghanistan in one piece, Pepper Potts could sense some change. Well, obviously, everything changed, she told herself. Anthony Stark became known not only as a genius billionaire bachelor but also as an Ironman. She smiled to that thought. Tony became what? A hero? That sounded too much like a joke but still it was proving to be true. But getting back to the subject: Pepper grew worried about her boss's sleeping habits. Well, she always minded the way he neglected healthy sleep finding it boring and replacing that "boredom" with excessive work, wild parties, gambling, women and so forth. That was usual. But since his return he barely was himself. He worked whole a lot more and he partied a lot less. Actually, Pepper held a thought: "When was the last time I heard him brag about the party?" Pepper Potts didn't like it. She didn't like her conclusion at all: "Her boss, Tony Stark, works more and parties less". She wrinkled her nose. "These black shades under his eyes, he probably does not get enough sleep", but she has seen him going to his bedroom with no blonde-bimbo attached and the workshop is also furnished with a coach. In a word: she didn't like it, she didn't like it one tiny bit which wasn't actually very shocking since it was Tony, she was currently thinking about. All these thoughts ran through Pepper's mind as she was falling asleep in a guest bedroom in Stark's mansion having decided, it was too late to go home; and she had to persuade Tony to attend the meeting early the next day anyway.

She heard a knock. Wait, what? She is sleeping after all. Another knock. Glancing at the nightstand watch Pepper noted time: 2 a.m. Great. Another knock. Then a rhyme of knocks. She almost growled. Dragging herself from the bed she slowly opened the door interrupting some "school rock" tune. She sighed at the sight of Tony and put her forehead on the half-opened door.

"Hey, Pepps" The man was grinning. At 2 a.m. Pepper looked at him with a very disapproving glare saying nothing.

"Cant's sleep as well?" he continued. "Care for a …" he didn't think that through obviously. "Aaa.. want to go over some paperwork of yours? You said you wanted me to look into something. Or was it yesterday?"

Pepper closed the door in front of Tony's face with an actual bang. That didn't seem to affect his mood in the slightest. "Maybe a movie?" she heard him suggesting behind the door as she moved back to the bed. "I may let you pick!"

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A couple of days went by and soon enough Pepper found herself asleep in a guest bedroom of Tony Stark's mansion once again. Same reasons: working late, too much to do tomorrow, awesome hero Anthony Stark as a boss.

She woke up. Glancing out of the window she saw it was still dark out. Why would she wake up then? And then she heard it, again. Some noises and then swearing and rather loud footsteps approaching her door. Pepper lay down trying to ignore all this. Closing her eyes she heard a loud drop and the sound of glass shattering, then more swearing and hissing. Apparently, in pain. That got her up. Almost swearing herself Pepper opened the door to find her boss sitting near the shattered bowl with a finger in his mouth and pitiful eyes. She also found what looked like popcorn scattered all over the floor.

"Good, are you up too? Can't sleep as well or too much work to do?" Pepper couldn't comprehend what Tony was rambling about. He continued: "Maybe all this hidden desire keeps you up? Well, I can keep you up all night but it would be far more enjoyable!" Tone's suggestion seemed to brighten his mood. Well, Pepper was having none of it. So, she turned around and headed back to bed. To sleep. Alone.

"Hey, Peps" she heard him again. Pepper turned around to see her boss standing up with an actual serious look on his face.

"I ..want watch a movie since we both can't sleep? I made some popcorn." He pointed on the floor."Well, you can make popcorn."

"Good night Mr. Stark."

"You are no fun whatsoever!" she heard him yell as she was closing the door.

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Pepper didn't have much time to contemplate on the night's events since her boss's erratic behavior was his thing. But something bothered her, anyway. It wasn't the fact that he woke her up in the middle of the night, twice, nor his lame movie excuses, nor his prepositions to spend the night. All of it was just his usual nonsense. Pepper had some inner gut feeling that something was not right but she just couldn't grasp it. Something was off and it bugged her to understand what it was.

After giving it some thought, Pepper Potts decided to rip the bandage of, that is to take a direct approach and actually find out what is going on in her boss's head. Once Pepper decided something, she was sure to follow through. So, she stayed the night in the Stark's mansion.

Tossing and turning she was waiting for Tony to show up. At 1 a.m. in the morning Pepper had no such luck, so she drifted to sleep. She dreamt of a cat or rather Tony calling for some cat. Does Tony have a cat? It then occurred to her, that she actually heard Tony calling for a cat!

At least that's what "kitty, kitty, kitty" outside her door in Tony's voice probably meant. Pepper remembered her decision and almost jumped out of the bed swinging the door open.

" !" She started in a half-disapproving, half-angry voice.

"Hey, Peps."

"Why are you looking for a cat right outside my door?"

"It is my house, my door." Tony said defensively.

"Did you acquire a cat recently?"

"I was actually calling for you."

"What?" She just couldn't believe what she was hearing. "What do you want?"

"Since you obviously have insomnia as well, care to watch a movie?"

"This IS the most inappropriate proposition you made in all of my 10 years as your PA, Mr. Stark!"

"Now, this can't be true, Ms. Potts. It's just a movie!" Now, Tony seemed to be in disbelief.

"Exactly my point. I wouldn't have been more startled if you suggested I joined a threesome."

"Still regret that time in Miami when you refused that, huh, Ms. Potts?" a smirk appeared on Tony's face. But Pepper was not going to be thrown off track that easily, so she asked bluntly:

"What's wrong, Tony?"

"Uhm, nothing." He shrugged nonchalantly. "I just wondered if you have seen all of the Oscar's nominees this year."

"You never give a damn about Oscar's nominees."

"That's not true." Tony protested "There was this one time…"

"You were interested because you slept with all four of the "best actress" nominees!"

"Yeah, but still, care to watch a…" He was cut off by Pepper suddenly approaching him and looking straight into his eyes.

"What is wrong, Tony?" Her voice was serious. "Why aren't you in your workshop?"

"Tired. No ideas" he said looking away.

"Why don't you rest? Get some sleep?"

"Well, that's none of your real business Ms. Potts."

"It IS my business, Mr. Stark! Because it involves you outside my door not letting me get a goodnight sleep. So, we both need to fix it! What is it?" At this point, sudden realization hit her and she gave Tony a long suspicious look.

"What?" he asked taken aback by her glance.

"Are you… are you having nightmares?" She asked.

"Huh? Ah, well, no, of course not!" he said too quickly.

"That's it, isn't it?" Pepper said angling her head, studying those deep-purple shades under his eyes. She went on: "You are having nightmares, you can't sleep, so you walking around harassing other people's sleep! I can't believe it!"

"Well, now, that you figured it all out, Ms. Potts, how about a…" He was cut off by Pepper once again.

"I am not having this movie crap again!" she said, grabbing Tony by his sleeve, walking towards her room and dragging the man with her.

"What, what are you doing, Pepps?" Tony sounded genuinely confused.

"I am going to schedule you an appointment tomorrow. Meanwhile, I need my beauty sleep, as you do too. So, you lay down right here!" She pointed on the right side of her bed.

"Are you nuts, Pep? This is your bed!"

"That's right. And your nightmares are going to stay out of my bed! So lay down." Tony was going to make a witty remark but felt Pepper push him down on a bed, so he obeyed, lying on his stomach."

She went around and got into bed on the other side. Pulling a blanket over both of them, she ordered: "Face the wall and close your eyes." Tony was too curious to object and too tired. He was really sleepy, he was just afraid of those nightmares of his. He felt Pepper's hand go up in his hair and slightly massage his scalp. It felt soothing. He could tell that she was lying right behind him, with her head in the same pillow and her side slightly overlapping his body. "So very close" he thought. She put her knee on his legs anchoring him down.

"Shh, just go to sleep, Tony." Pepper kept her hand moving slowly in his hair. Tony relaxed, letting the sleep overcome him.

"What if, what if I'll see it, again?" he managed to mumble, letting his fear show; the fear that caused his insomnia for so long.

"I'll be right here, you'll see that it's not real" she whispered gently. Holding to that thought he let himself sleep.

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They did come back. They did come back for him. Seeing them approach him: guns ready, ruthless faces, Tony felt fear soaring through him, numbing his will. With the next step of terrorists, with another surge of fear, Tony woke up inhaling sharply. He wildly looked around, still hazed from the sleep, recognizing his surroundings. He turned around to see whether or not he dreamt of coming in Pepper's bed at night. Here she was, his beautiful girl, well, his beautiful PA: sleeping, breathing evenly, with her freckled back turned to him. He felt the urge to touch her, to make sure she was real, that she was with him.

Through her sleep Pepper felt an arm sneak under her head. She felt another motion gently pulling her back until her body rested against warmth. "Tony?" she thought. She tried to contemplate on how appropriate it was, but it felt so nice, so comfortable and so right, that she just did not bother and snuggled further into the warmth.

Tony adored how fragile and small Pepper felt in his arms. He heard her stir and held his breath afraid that she is going to wriggle out of his, probably, totally inappropriate embrace. Instead she moved closer and he fought the urge to wrap his leg around hers: surely, it would feel too heavy for her. Instead he scooted as close as possible, hugging Pepper and squaring his shoulders to make room for her.

"Appointment," he smiled to himself: "I don't need no appointment, I have the best appointment right here."

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Please let me know what you think: this story kept bugging me, so I decided to share))


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